Abstract :
This paper reviews the basic principles of field-evaporation theory, as it applies to pure metals. The approach is primarily conceptual, and part of the aim is to indicate where and how earlier uncertainties have been resolved, and to note some unsolved problems. A particular topic is the physical origin of Müllerʹs evaporation-field formula. A derivation based solely on the energetics of field evaporation is presented in more detail than previously. It is then argued that Müllerʹs formula does not correctly represent the energetics of his image-hump escape mechanism; rather, the success of Müllerʹs formula lies in the fact that it represents quite well the energetics of Gomerʹs charge-exchange escape mechanism. A simplified derivation of the authorʹs activation-energy formula is also given.
